Full Game Notes (PDF)

CAL U (0-0) @ FAIRMONT STATE (0-0)
• When: Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021
• Where: Fairmont, W.Va.
• Stadium: Duvall-Rosier Field (5,000)
• Kickoff: 7 p.m.
• Live Video: YouTube (CUTV Feed) I Blueframe (FSU Feed)
• Live Radio: WCAL (91.9 FM) I WWLW (106.5 FM)
• Live Stats: Click HERE - NEW LINK

** FAIRMONT STATE SPECTATOR POLICY **

SERIES BREAKDOWN
• All-Time Series: Cal U leads 26-10-4
• First Meeting: 1916 - Tie 16-16
• Last Meeting: Aug. 31, 2006 @ Cal U – Cal U won 26-9 I Box Score
• Streak: Cal U +7

NOTES
• Cal U opens the 2021 campaign on Thursday night when it travels to face former longtime rival Fairmont State in West Virginia. The Vulcans have won 13 of their last 16 season-openers, including a 59-13 victory in New Hampshire against Saint Anselm in 2019.
 
• The Vulcans return to action for the first time in over 650 days on Thursday after the 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cal U returns 11 starters from the 2019 campaign, including four All-PSAC West selections. Quarterback Noah Mitchell also returns for his third season as the starter after totaling nearly 2,500 passing yards and 26 total touchdowns in 2019. The defense is headlined by preseason All-American defensive lineman Gerald Brown and linebacker Noah Dillow, who was the 2019 PSAC West Freshman of the Year.
 
• The Vulcans and Fighting Falcons are meeting for the first time since the 2006 season-opener. The teams faced each other for 14-straight years, starting in 1993. Cal U has won the last seven meetings following a triple-overtime win by Fairmont State in 1999.

• One of the longest tenured coaches in the MEC, Jason Woodman enters his ninth season as head coach at Fairmont State. He ranks third in school history with 44 victories after leading the program to five-straight winning seasons. Woodman guided the Fighting Falcons to a combined 25 conference wins from 2016-18, highlighted by an appearance in the 2016 NCAA Playoffs.
 
• Fairmont State featured 12 All-MEC selections in 2019 while finishing seventh in the league standings. However, the Fighting Falcons return just one of the dozen All-MEC players this fall. Senior wide receiver Javon Hayes ranked fourth in the league with a team-leading 916 receiving yards and also finished fifth in the conference with eight receiving touchdowns. He eclipsed the century mark in four-straight games in 2019 and made at least five catches eight times. Fairmont State will feature a new quarterback after Takwan Crews-Naylor led NCAA Division II with a 178.3 passing efficiency in 2019. The Fighting Falcons averaged over 230 rushing yards per game in 2019, but must replace their top two rushers that accounted for over 1,800 yards and 16 touchdowns. In 2019, Fairmont State led the MEC and finished fifth in the country in rushing defense by allowing 77.7 yards per game. Senior defensive lineman Chrinovic Mukulu returns as the team's top returning tackler after making 42 stops (22 solo) in 2019. He led the team with 7.0 sacks and also tied for second with 14.0 TFL after making at least 2.0 TFL in four games. Senior linebacker Danny Anige totaled 27 tackles (17 solo) and 5.0 TFL in his first season as a starter. Fairmont State ranked second in the MEC with 15 interceptions during the 2019 campaign with nine players recording at least one interception. On special teams, senior Colin Harvath returns at kicker after converting 17-of-25 field goals and 106-of-107 PAT attempts in his career.
 
• The Vulcans were picked to finish third in the preseason PSAC West poll after posting a 7-4 overall record in the 2019 campaign. Each of the losses for Cal U were against playoff teams and three losses were on the road to nationally-ranked teams. Meanwhile, Fairmont State was slotted sixth in the preseason MEC poll after recording a 5-5 overall mark in 2019.
 
• In 2008, Jason Woodman served as the running backs coach at Cal U when the program won the PSAC Championship and made a consecutive trip to the NCAA Semifinals. In addition to Woodman, the 2008 coaching staff for the Vulcans also featured current head coaches in Mike Jacobs (Lenoir-Rhyne) and Mike Kellar (Glenville State), plus Dave Cole, who is the associate head coach at FBS Mercer.
 
• The Vulcans will feature four captains this season with junior quarterback Noah Mitchell serving as the inaugural Michael Perry Team Captain. Perry '62 was a longstanding supporter of the Cal U football program before passing away in January. Mitchell, who has started all 22 games in his collegiate career, enters the year with over 5,200 passing yards and 46 total touchdowns.
 
• Cal U boasts a pair of former players on NFL active rosters following the end of training camp. CJ Goodwin enters his fourth year with the Dallas Cowboys, while Erik Harris begins his tenure with the Atlanta Falcons after spending the previous four seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders.

• Cal U features a new face in the backfield this season with graduate transfer Kyle Brunson. He rushed for 1,900 yards and 18 touchdowns on nearly 400 carries while playing at Tiffin from 2016-19. Brunson was an All-G-MAC First-Team selection in 2018 after ranking second in the league with 961 rushing yards. The Michigan native also totaled nearly 40 career receptions while with the Dragons.
 
• Cal U and Fairmont State are meeting for the first time in 15 years after previously playing every season from 1993-06. The programs always played in the opening three weeks of the campaign during that span, including five times in Week 1. From 1995-99, four of the five meetings were decided by two points and the series featured a pair of overtime games.
 
• Junior defensive lineman Gerald Brown was chosen a preseason Second-Team All-American by Lindy's Sports over the summer. He recorded a breakout campaign in 2019, as he led the team in tackles, TFL and sacks. Brown finished among the top five in the PSAC with 16.5 TFL and 8.0 sacks, plus became the first defensive lineman in modern program history to lead the team in tackles.
 
• Seniors Brenden Badstibner and Eric Hudanick will anchor the offensive line again this fall. Badstibner leads all active players with 34 starts, all consecutive, at left guard and was an All-PSAC West Second-Team honoree in 2019. Hudanick has made 32 career starts, including 22-straight at right tackle, and was selected a CoSIDA Second-Team Academic All-American in July.
 
• Cal U has enjoyed tremendous success in season-openers dating back to the 2004 campaign, as the program boasts a 13-3 record in Week 1. The Vulcans will also be starting the season with a Thursday game for the fifth time in the last decade, splitting the previous four contests. Head coach Gary Dunn holds a 3-1 mark in season-openers.
 
• Senior Tyson Hill returns as one of the most prolific active wide receivers in the PSAC. He enters the year with nearly 2,000 career receiving yards after being an All-PSAC West First-Team selection in both 2018 and 2019. Hill totaled over 50 receptions in back-to-back years and set a career high with seven touchdowns as a junior. He is within reach of becoming only the fifth player in school history with 150 career receptions.
 
• Junior Jermal Martin, Jr. is the lone returning starter in the secondary this season, as the remainder of the defensive backs have a combined three career starts. He enters the fall with eight career interceptions while making 17 starts. A team captain, Martin led the Vulcans and tied for fifth in the PSAC with four interceptions in 2019, plus set a career high with 42 tackles (29 solo).
 
• Cal U featured the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in both 2018 and 2019 with quarterback Noah Mitchell and linebacker Noah Dillow earning the honors, respectively. The Vulcans previously accomplished the feat in 2009 and 2010 with defensive back Rontez Miles claiming the honor in 2009 prior to being selected the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Year as both a junior and senior.